1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to an automatic feeding/sputum suction device and particularly, it relates to an automatic feeding/sputum suction device that can detect whether patients are experiencing any discomfort in the process of feeding and sputum suction.
2. Description of Related Arts
For many types of nervous system diseases, throat muscles may gradually discontinue normal function in response to aggravation of diseases, thus causing such symptoms as difficulty in swallowing, suffocation, choking, aphonia and difficulty in breathing. In case of difficulty in swallowing, patients eat less and cannot take in sufficient nutriments. Now, it is required to use feeding duct (Nasogastric duct is inserted in through nasal cavity and goes to stomach through esophagus; or stomach duct is inserted into stomach directly through abdomen via operation) to feed liquid food. In most cases, feeding duct can help prevent diseases and extend life. For such diseases as ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis), feeding duct may form part of normal treatment (In later period of disease, swallowing function may be affected).
In addition to application for patients with difficulty in swallowing, feeding duct is also applicable to patients after operation in oral cavity, throat, esophagus and trachea and those with unconsciousness, severe melancholy or fastidium. Before use, medical staff pours liquid food (such as milk and juice) into feeding syringe and raises feeding syringe about 30-45 cm to let liquid food to flow in slowly by gravity. However, only 250 cc-350 cc can be fed per time and this process lasts 15-20 minutes. In addition, patients may sometimes experience nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, sweating, spasm and faster heartbeat in the process of feeding. In this case, feeding must be discontinued immediately and medical staff has to deal with this situation. Therefore, medical staff has to watch for any discomfort of patients while feeding. As a result, medical negligence tends to occur in this process.
In addition, if patients have had tracheotomy, windpipe is often inserted to suction sputum or feed food. In the process of sputum suction or feeding, food tends to flow in through windpipe and lead to inhalation pneumonia. Therefore, it is necessary to suck out sputum.
It can be concluded that prior art has a full range of defects and needs improvement.